Our two nights in Evora took us to old world Portugal.
Evora is in the Alentejo region where it is hot and dry. We stayed at the new Valeriana Exclusive Guesthouse right in the center of the old town. It’s always tricky driving through these old towns. Streets are a tangle, many are one-way, and they are usually paved in cobblestone; not to mention narrow (like you could almost touch the buildings on either side of the road if you stood in the middle with arms outstretched).
We had one full day. After carefully wending our way through the cobblestones to the parking garage, we opted to not use the car until it was time to leave town.
After a lovely breakfast at the guesthouse, we ripped out the pages of the Rick Steve’s guided walk and went out into the heat. Along our way we discovered old Roman wall remnants (we have found the Romans everywhere in Europe), old churches, and unusual exhibits. The most interesting finds included religious relics, an extensive collection of nativities, and the bone chapel.
Religious relics are a really big thing in Europe. Many churches claim to have them. Usually they are pieces of bone or something else directly related to a saint or, in some cases, one of the apostles. At the cathedral in Evora, they have what is believed to be a piece of the cross that Jesus was crucified on. It is explained that St. Helen, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, found the one true cross and pieces were doled out to deserving churches. They do not allow photos in the cathedral museum.
Onto the Chapel of Bones which is attached to the Church of St. Francis. When you get your ticket you are first directed to the Church museum where you find the nativity collection. There are hundreds of nativities from all around the world. The one shown here appears to be made of schist.
But the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) is the main attraction. These chapels appear in other European towns as well but we had not yet visited one (we bypassed the one in Hallstadt, Austria several years ago). Everything is covered in human skeletal remains.
At the recommendation of the guesthouse, we joined the 10:00 pm guided tour. It was a lot if fun. The young guys who put it on have created a combination tour/interactive theatrical event complete with heroes, witches, wizards and a bishop. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them and played along with each of their scenarios. Fun!
From here, it’s on to the Algarve!
